Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) released this information this afternoon:

Legislative Update: NIH Funding in Introduced Economic Stimulus

Today, the House Democratic leadership introduced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, an $825 billion economic stimulus package that will be soon be considered by Congress. The stimulus provides $1.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for expanding jobs in biomedical research to study diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. As this bill is considered by Congress, the Parkinson’s community will work with Members of Congress to ensure support for NIH remains in the final legislation.

The Parkinson’s community continues to advocate for NIH funding in the economic stimulus as a way to create jobs in communities across the country and to secure the additional resources needed to hasten better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease. According to a study released in June 2008 by Families USA, on average, in fiscal year 2007, every dollar of NIH funding generated more than twice as much in state economic output. The $1.5 billion will allow the NIH to fund thousands of biomedical research grants at academic research institutions around the United States and engage in the clinical and patient-oriented research needed to develop disease-modifying therapies.

Earlier this week, Parkinson’s advocates asked their Representatives to sign a NIH funding letter in support of a strong investment in biomedical research at the NIH. Thanks to e-mails and phone calls made from advocates around the country, the House of Representatives listened to the Parkinson’s community’s call for an increased commitment to the NIH in the economic stimulus package. It is expected that the House Ways and Means, Appropriations, and Energy and Commerce committees, which have jurisdiction over the bill, will markup the bill as early as next week. Your help may be needed in the near future to ensure that NIH support is maintained in the economic stimulus package--please stay tuned for updates!

In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 will provide:

• $20 billion for Health Information Technology, to jumpstart efforts to computerize health records to cut costs and reduce medical errors.

• A one-time additional Supplemental Security Income Payment to Low-Income elderly and disabled Recipients.

• $2 billion for Capitol Improvements to NIH campuses and other university research facilities to help compete for biomedical research grants

• $400 million to replace the 30-year-old Social Security Administration’s National Computer Center to meet growing needs for processing retirement and disability claims and records storage.

• $500 million to help the Social Security Administration process a steep rise in disability and retirement claims, getting people their benefits faster, and preventing existing backlogs from getting worse. Within this total, $40 million will help SSI upgrade health information technology.

If you would like to learn more about the specifics of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, read Appropriations Chairman David Obey’s (D-WI) press release.